Efforts to strengthen the conservation of the Queule in Ñuble

Over the past few months, the environmental portfolio has developed various participatory activities in the communes of Quirihue, Coelemu, and Cobquecura, with the aim of socializing this conservation instrument and strengthening citizen awareness of the importance of the queule and the ecosystems where it lives.

The Recovery, Conservation, and Management Plan (Recoge) is an instrument aimed at protecting species classified in threat categories. In this context, the work promoted by the Ministry seeks to integrate municipalities, community organizations, landowners, educational institutions, and local actors into concrete actions for the conservation of this emblematic species.

The queule has multiple environmental and social benefits. Among them, its contribution to adaptation to climate change stands out, due to its capacity for carbon capture and storage, contributing to climate regulation and the conservation of local biodiversity. Likewise, its presence favors soil protection, ecosystem balance, and the safeguarding of Ñuble's natural heritage.

Along with its ecological relevance, the queule is also part of the territorial and sociocultural identity of the coastal and rural communities of the region, becoming a symbol of conservation and sustainable development.

The participatory sessions held included spaces for dialogue and environmental education activities aimed at raising awareness about the species, as well as gathering visions and proposals from a wide diversity of actors, promoting collaborative management to address threats such as habitat fragmentation, forest fires, and land-use change.

The Ministry of the Environment highlighted the importance of strengthening joint work with the territories to advance effective conservation measures and foster greater appreciation of native forests and the species that compose them.

In this context, the Regional Ministerial Secretary of the Environment of Ñuble, Angélica Cuevas Palominos, highlighted the relevance of the plan and the institutional commitment to conservation: "We are promoting a determined policy to protect our biodiversity, and the queule today represents an urgency in terms of conservation, due to the critical state of its populations. From the Ministry of the Environment, and following the mandate of President José Antonio Kast, we are working on this RECOGE Plan together with institutions and communities, strengthening coordination and citizen participation to advance its protection."

Source:La Discusión